He will never play well with others
by Shaye Vespertine
Summary: Pepper Potts was to be respected, admired - from very afar - and is off-limits. If anyone crossed the line with her ... ye gods. Tony Stark does NOT play well with others.


A huge thanks go to nani1986 for being her wonderful self, and the Community mods, for keeping the fandom writing base going every month.

This was written for the Challenge: Interesting Words over at the its_always_been community on LiveJournal. The Prompt chosen for this fic was:

_LETHONOMIA - a tendency to forget names._

**Disclaimer: **Characters are property of MARVEL and its associates for the movie franchise.

* * *

Tony knew this would happen.

This ..._thing_ with the guys and super secret boys (and girl) band.

He does NOT play well with others. He never has. Even as a child, he'd never gotten along with other children. Either they were bigger - he'd been rather scrawny - and bullied him, or he had better ideas for games and better toys – only the best for Tony Stark, even at age four. And they were whiny. He didn't like whiny peers, and noise tended to irritate him most of the time, unless it was his own. Then again, the wunderkind had never exactly been encouraged much to spend considerable amounts of his time in a recreational manner, with people his own age.

Howard Stark had been so proud of the boy when he'd shown just how unique an intellect he had, that he had rewarded his precociousness by pushing him into mechanics, robotics, general engineering.

This means that he had probably never truly learnt to be a team-player. Some people within his circle, who had known his father, and were cognisant of the fact that Tony was very patriotic and

had a streak of generosity that ran deep, had always wondered why he did not end up in the military.

Tony could never stand taking orders from anyone or being submissive, never mind not being the centre of attention, was just not ingrained into his habits.

So when Fury all but orders him to attend some moronic meeting that is actually a prelude to "Team-Strengthening Activity" (?), Tony is not impressed, nor inclined to go.

Except that Fury makes it impossible for him not to, with the aid of the ever-infuriating Coulson.

Fury shouts, warns, orders, and finally threatens him until he is 'persuaded' to say yes.

Tony brings Pepper.

She's his buffer, both his grounding element and strongest shield, metaphorically speaking. She is a fierce ally, loyal, discreet to a fault, intelligent and smart, and more recently, his best romantic involvement in the history of Stark, T.

So all things considered, her presence would both soothe him - it always did, and sometimes he craved her company to the exclusion of all else - and it would keep him well-behaved.

Or as well-behaved as he could manage without causing much of a fuss.

The Activity involved a treasure hunt of some kind.

Thinking about his team-mates' faces when it had been announced, Tony didn't think he was the only one looking upon this affair with doubting sarcasm.

Then again, only Cap seemed to look upon it with philosophy. Tony didn't care; it was stupid and pointless, and would have taken precious free time he had to spend with Pepper, until his genius

had struck him again, and he'd made it clear that if he was to grace them with his presence, she would glide by his side, or else.

Compromise, it seems, may be a harsh bitch, but if it still got you what you wanted, and made everyone else around you less unhappy then ...

Manipulative? Tony?

Smirk ... absolutely.

The day finally came for them to meet up at HQ. Pepper had actually flown in from LA two days prior in order to attend to some important meetings over at their Flushing Plant.

As always, she was the epitome of organisation. Pepper had packed both their bags, since this Activity would take part over the space of two days, starting Saturday morning and ending Sunday late afternoon. Tony had not liked this at all. You did NOT take away Tony Stark's week-end away.

It was sacred, to be spent in the beautiful comfort of his own home - whichever he happened to need at any time -, surrounded by the greatest comforts in his life: his cars, JARVIS, his workshop,

booze (though in much moderate amounts these days), sex ... and Pepper. Sex and Pepper. Sex WITH Pepper. Gorgeous Pepper of the Red hair, the tenderness of her heart, the most mouth-watering expanse of creamy skin he loved to taste, of the most intoxicating smell he had ever encountered.

Just thinking about their week-ends spent together, the only time they could have the other to themselves - though it wasn't unheard of either him or her getting called away to face some crisis-

made something melt inside his chest and things south of his belt tighten.

Tony pouted.

He'd known this day would come, he'd known he would somehow be made to regret ever agreeing to join the stup-

"Tony we're going to be late!"

Tony sighed heavily. But before he had time to do anything else, Pepper popped her head around the corner and sent him an encouraging smile. The corners of his lips automatically manifested to life and lifter slightly, briefly. It wasn't very often that he got to see her so relaxed and looking forward to what may amount to doing normal things. Of course, normal for the Avengers wasn't your run of the mill normal. You had to really squint to see it. Maybe.

She noticed his unhappy frown and the rebellious I'm-Tony-Stark-I-do-whatever-I-want proud stance of his body straightaway.

"Come on, don't be in a mood that will spoil the weekend before it's even begun. This is a great opportunity to get to know the others a little better and for you all to learn how to work and trust

each other better." Her tone was at its softest and most cajoling, one of the strongest weapons he had never even seen coming.

His chin tilted forward and he assumed a haughty stance, refusing to change his perspective.

"I am not pleased. At all. I'll go, because Fury practically threatened to sic Coulson on me for an entire month, and because you're going to be there, so it's not going to be completely dull. I may be going, but I refuse to enjoy myself. This'll be about as fun as knitting sweaters with an old lady who stinks of cat and cabbage."

He breezed past her, ignored the comical disbelief on her face at the metaphor he used at the end, and gathered their bags. He could hear the soft groan she made behind him - the one he had

catalogued as: to be used only when Tony was being particularly difficult and/or fractious" - (yeah, he had a list), but picked up his pace. The sooner this farce was over with the better.

Tony emerged from the 'hunting grounds' wet, stinking to high heaven of mud, and about as happy as a wet cat who'd suddenly had scalding water dumped on him out of nowhere.

If anything, this activity had proven to be even more disastrous for their team dynamics, more than anything. Instead of acting as a sounding bugle/peace treaty for all hostilities and competitiveness,

and an opportunity for them to cement the foundations of a more positive relationship, it had brought out some of the guys' worst side.

Some had been so competitive (Thor) that they had pretty much trampled over everything else, even their other team mates.

Hawkeye had been on Tony's team along with Bruce, but he'd made it clear that he was still flying solo.

He and Tony had - bitched - so much that in the end Hawkeye had walked out on them and proceeded by himself.

Since their first mission together, Tony and Bruce had gotten along famously, so they'd actually made a pretty good team. But neither had needed to go through this week-end to know that they worked well together and could also hang out enjoying each other's company.

Since their team lacked a member, and Thor had raced ahead of Captain and Natasha, no winning team was declared.

Tony made his way towards his rooms, intent on getting a shower and getting the hell out of there. He was grumpy, and sore, and in no mood to be trifled with at all, despite the pleasant afternoon

he had spent side by side with Bruce. He'd been right to think of this activity as pointless and stupid,

and a complete waste of time. If and when it came down to it, during a fight everyone knew they were all on the same side, and would work together seamlessly and look out for each other's backs.

But apparently this wasn't good enough for the Almighty Cyclop, who demanded that they work well together at all times, not just when their necks were on the line.

When Tony thought of the lovely week-end he could have spent, at home, with his girlfriend, the irritation itching under his skin threatened to burst and make him lash out like an angered hornet

protecting the hive.

Showered, clean, preened and swaggering again, Tony grabbed their bags and descended down to the operations level, where a small chill-out lounge had been designated for the guys to unwind a little after a tough mission, in search of Pepper.

She had 'been permitted to' come with him, but had not been allowed to participate in the hunt. She'd been a little chagrined, and he'd been generally crushed that he wouldn't get to see her in very

tight and revealing clothing, sweating and pumping her lovely-

As he rounded the corner, lounge came into sight; so did Pepper, and he froze.

She was standing with some shmuck Agent or other - they all looked the same to Tony - chatting gaily, looking friendly and at ease. Except that to Tony, the guy wasn't being standard friendly, he

was _flirting_ with. his. girlfriend.

The skinny, pouffy-haired little bastard.

Tony was calm. He was completely calm. Yeah, I'm good, he thought, almost thoroughly convinced of it.

The guy made her laugh and took advantage of the mirth by leaning in closer to her, almost imperceptibly so. Tony's fists clenched.

Bastard-ass then did the unforgiveable. He took hold of Pepper's hand, leaned forward, and kissed her knuckles. Pepper looked startled, and embarassedly took a step back, firmly tugging her hand away.

And Tony saw red.

Tony Stark is ... of average height. He is NOT short, no matter what anyone else says. He may not be 6"4' tall, but he had this aura of charisma, self-assurance and power that commandeered

everyone's attention immediately when walking into a room. That, along with his looks, his stylish clothes and great physique more than made up for being in any way just slightly lacking

in the height department. Strangers used to seeing him in magazines and television may at times be slightly surprised, the first few seconds, by his looking shorter in real life, but they soon forgot

about it.

His stride was purposeful, powerful, predatory and spoke of a guy definitely ready to punch someone's eyes out. The others were all there as well as some other agents, with the

exception of Thor.

Natasha took one look at him, and immediately turned to whisper something to Clint, who was sitting close and sharpening his knife.

He turned to look at Tony, an eager light in his eyes. Next to him Natasha looked poker-face calm and unruffled - her usual self – but for the slight smirk on her lips.

She would not lift a finger here. Poor Avery, he never saw it, but had it coming.

See, there was one thing everyone knew or pretty much had to know, of those who worked on base and closely with the Avengers. Tony Stark was a charmer, and a player, and had both a brilliant

mind and an equally brilliant knack for causing trouble and making the Director not furious, but irate.

But what you also, if not more importantly, had to know, is that Tony is not -anymore?- what the media have painted him to be over the years, where women are concerned.

He still has the rep of a playboy, but everyone who's anyone is aware that Tony is a one-woman kind of man. More specifically, a Pepper-only kind of man. Go figure, right?

As such, Pepper was to be both respected, admired - from very afar - and off-limits.

If anyone crossed the line with her ... ye gods.

Never mind the fury of Iron Man in his beginning, murdering known terrorists and destroying his stolen weapons' cache, and pretty much doing it rogue.

That was nothing compared to this. This...was Tony Stark on the prowl.

Natasha settled in more comfortably and waited for the show. This would be good.

Bruce too had stopped looking over computer calculations, and sat on the couch, coffee abandoned on the table in front of him.

Steve looked both displeased at the show that would ensue, and annoyed, as usual, by anything Tony-related.

Tony had seldom been more dangerous than he was right now. He swept over to them, silent and furious, fists clenched tightly by his sides, and a studied air of nonchalance that barely kept the snarl forming on his lips away.

This guy-

Oh my god, Bruce thought as he watched disbelievingly as the agent carried on trying to charm the pants off Pepper in all calm, like he hadn't a care in the world.

This guys is suicidal.

Tony-

...Stark does not share. He hardly ever shares anything because he's petty like that, thought Clint, but he does not. Share. Pepper Potts.

And he does not forgive or forget easily.

So much as look at his Miss Potts wrong, he'd bite your head off and make sure none could ever reattach it. Clint supposed that with a woman like Pepper, it was more than understandable. He sniggered and caught Natasha's gloating, hungry sneer of delight.

Steve rolled his eyes and assumed the disapproving but not wholly caring stance of bored irritation. Natasha looked at him briefly, saw that it was just a tad too casual, snorted, and looked at the

unfolding scene again.

"Agent. Fancy seeing you here."

Avery broke off the delightful conversation he was having with Miss Potts, and turned to stare, slightly baffled at the newcomer to his right.

Pepper too turned to her left, and there was Tony, standing there looking ... her eyes unconsciously scanned him in less than two seconds.

Looking studiedly nonchalant.

Slight uneasiness and suspicion immediately triggered in her mind. Tony Stark was almost never truly nonchalant. It was an air he affected all too well, but still a mask worn to conceal what was

truly underneath. She knew it well after all these years. Avery spoke, his face slightly puzzled. "Mr. Stark." he acknowledged.

The light in his eyes was just too innocent, Natasha decided.

Tony didn't beat around the bush. "What are you doing here?"

He looked pointedly around the lounge, which everyone knew to be sole 'property' of the Avengers, except for Coulson and the Director.

Avery wasn't discouraged. "I was looking for Agent Coulson-"

Tony interrupted him, smoothly, rudely, and ruthlessly.

"Yeah yeah yeah yeah, someone is always looking for Coulson. You've seen he's not here, yet here you still are. This is an exclusive joint, buddy, and no invitation is extended to you."

Pepper tried to smooth his ruffled feathers, sensing they were on cusp of a major scene. "Tony-"

Avery spoke again, a hard light filling his flinty eyes as he stared at Tony and didn't back down. "With all due respect, this isn't property of Mr. Stark."

Tony's eyes promised violence as he stepped closer, and despite being a couple of inches shorter, he looked menacing and completely unafraid. He leaned up and got right into Avery's face.

His voice was a growl when he said, "Wrong, bitch. This," he indicated where Pepper stood with a consternated but resigned expression on her face, "this is my property, and mine exclusively. Don't make me say it again. Walk the fuck out."

Pepper immediately placed a restraining hand on his arm, the flesh under her palm hard as unmoveable rock, tensed to spring. "For goodness' sake, Tony! You're causing a scene."

Tony pulled his arm free and snagged it around her waist, bringing her possessively in contact with the whole of his right side as he pulled her closer and slightly behind him.

If looks could kill ...

...Avery wasn't intimidated. He looked at the shorter man with contempt, utterly sure of the likely outcome of the fight, thanks to his supreme training. "Listen here-"

"Avery! We're to await in his office, Coulson's orders."

Another agent had walked in and made a bee-line for them, looking deceptively calm. In all his aggressive anger, Tony found it in himself to look upon them all, and make fun of them.

Mini-Coulson Apostles in the making.

He stared long and hard at the departing agent, his eyes promising violence of the most bloody kind, a sneer of contempt on his face.

"What am I listening to? That's right, the sound of your skinny ass running back to daddy. Run Mini C, run."

The other agent hastily gripped Avery's shoulder and forcibly steered him out the lounge, whispering through tight lips into his comrade's ear.

"Whatever man. She ain't even that great-looking to waste my time with, anyway." Avery's eyes were decidedly malicious as he stared back at Tony over his shoulder, goading him into coming after them.

Tony snarled and lunged.

Bruce had walked closer to Tony in the meantime, and pushed back insistently against his friend's chest, trying to stop him from following. Pepper was firm and quiet as she told him to

let it go and not cause any further trouble. But the mortified and pissed off look on her face belied her apparent calm.

The pair left, and the lounge was theirs again.

Bruce released him once he was sure Tony wouldn't try anything. Tony wouldn't look at him, and the particular look on Pepper's face prompted him to squeeze Tony's shoulder briefly, and to depart, not wanting to intrude in their private moment.

Pepper whispered something to Tony, and they stonily made their way towards the exit. Pepper held Tony's arm lightly but firmly, and just before leaving, she turned around and spoke to the guys who had been silent, and had witnessed everything.

"Please tell Phil we left and that he can contact us at Tony's New York residence, should the need arise?"

With that they left, and the lounge was plunged in silence.

Then Clint slowly drawled out, "Damn."

Bruce exhaled and checked his watch out of habit to monitor his blood pressure, but he had nothing to truly worry about. "That was so poorly handled. Doesn't the guy know not to chase after other

people's girlfriends?"

Steve was still standing with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Avery was merely talking to Miss Potts, nothing happened."

Clint looked at him in a mixture of annoyance, disbelief and sarcasm.

"Right. Sure, he was doing nothing wrong. Keep living in that golden forties time long past, Rogers. It's not doing you any harm."

With that he got up from the couch and left the lounge. Steve narrowed his eyes at his retreating back, but said nothing. Then he turned to Natasha almost as though he was looking for someone to agree with him, but she just raised a sardonic eyebrow at him.

"Seriously, Cap?"

"Oh, come on, not you too, Natasha. They were simply talking to each other - what, is that a crime nowadays? For men and women to converse?"

Natasha looked pointedly at him, and Bruce remained silent.

"Men and women no longer converse for conversation's sake like back

in your day, Captain. There was nothing innocent in Avery's behaviour."

"Well, then the least she could have done was to not encourage him." Bruce spoke up, feeling that he had to say something in his friends' defence. "Being polite is an integral part of Miss Potts; she was replying in order not to be rude, he's the one who crossed the line. Don't tell me that if you saw someone else kissing your fiancée's hand, you would think it was completely innocent on their part, or that you'd be pleased about it."

Natasha motioned her head in agreement, sardonic eyebrow still in place. Steve rolled his eyes and turned away. "Whatever."

Tony growled and nipped at the satiny throat exposed below him, inhaling her intoxicating scent deeply, and rubbing his face against her skin.

The more primitive part of his brain was dominant right now, and it bade him to certain acts, like scent-marking her, in order to establish who she belonged to and to let her know it.

Pepper ran her hands up and down his sides, feeling the strong muscles ripple under her touch, wanting more, loving this. Her head was slightly arched back to give him better access to her

throat and collarbone, her eyes blissfully closed, and sensually rubbed one of her bent legs against his flank, delighting in the firm smooth texture of his naked skin under hers.

Tony's hand caressed her ribcage and waist, and then delved lower, wanting that slickness and warmth.

Pepper purred and ran her nails down his left arm from shoulder to bicep, giving him better access.

Their coupling this time was unlike any other they had previously experienced.

The slightly headier sensations of the more animalistic dimension of their love-making were a complete novelty.

Not that they were mindlessly rutting, but Tony was demonstrating a whole other side of himself to her, and this side, more dominant, more alpha-male, excited her and thrilled her. She's never known that she could enjoy something like this.

He pinned her down beneath him, and his hands were possessive of her body as he caressed her highly-strung flesh, and his gaze was hotly intent upon her, another possessive dimension all by themselves.

It made her breathless.

"You're mine, Pepper. Never mistake that."

He bent his head to her torso again, gripping her hip and gluteus. He alternately nipped and licked his path, and she struggled to move her arms, wanting to touch him, but he wasn't letting her.

"And before the night is over, you'll know it."

Pepper didn't always play along or bend to his will. Not without a fight.

"I'll know what?"

He brought his head up and breathed the answer across her lips, stroking her inner thigh. His growled answer brought a delighted shiver of impatience and the sweetest anticipation, and her stomach had seemingly dropped thirty feet in thin air.

"That you belong to me. That you are mine, and no one else's. I do not share my Pepper, Miss Potts. Not ever. I'm a selfish bastard, always have been, and that's how it's going to stay."

Pepper kissed him back, and she couldn't get enough, craved more.

He seemed to understand, and for a few more seconds allowed her this, pressing his lips fiercely to hers.

Then he reared up, wound her legs tightly around his back, pressing their lower bodies together. Pepper looked at him in the eyes, and instinctively arched her throat a little, baring it to him.

He panted, she mewled, and told her he loved her as he sank home, obliviated by the stars the deep pleasure brought.

They lay together afterwards, in their luxurious bedroom in his NY penthouse. He was finally where he had wanted to be the entire week-end. Pepper was resting close to him, her head on his chest, rubbing softly at his pecs. Her left leg was slung over his, and his hands were resting

on her shoulder and her ass, anchoring her to him.

The possessiveness, the blinding jealousy, had not yet quite faded completely, and though she knew that they would have to talk about this eventually, she just wanted peace right now.

"This week-end has been tough on both of us. You were right, the Team-Strengthening Activity was a mistake and a waste of time."

Tony nuzzled her hair and placed his lips on her forehead, looking up through the windows on their left. It was night now.

"What pissed me off the most about this is that it took so much time away from us being 'us'. We don't get to do that every day."

Pepper stretched and the closeness of their bodies did all sorts of wonderful, interesting things that would be further explored later.

"Tony, Agen-"

"I don't - I don't remember his name. I don't wanna know it. He's not important, to me he is simply whatshiuglyface. I just - and please don't berate for it because I already know I shouldn't have reacted like that especially in front of other people. I saw him put his hands on you, and I literally flipped out on him."

"I was kind of ... well, surprised would be a euphemism. To put it bluntly, I wasn't pleased at all with the way he just invaded my space like that, but you can't just raise hell the way you d-"

"Pepper." His voice was a growl again. "The guy had just put his hands on my girlfriend - in front of me - after shamelessly flirting with her. Come on. Put yourself in my position a little, here. I think any guy is justified to be pissed off if they had been in my shoes, seeing some

slick moron putting their hands on his girlfriend. I didn't mean to embarrass you but - I lost control. I'll try not to flip out again in the future, but I want you to know that I will do it again, probably, if the occasion calls for it."

Pepper sighed. "I know. I can't really stop you. I'm not saying you weren't completely justified in wanting him to go, but you can't attack every man that comes near me, even slick morons like that guy."

"I saw red. Anyone disrespects you or makes a pass at you, and I ... see. Red. They're not allowed to do that. I'm possessive, and selfish and jealous as hell, Pepper, you know that."

"I suppose I can't change who you are." Pepper raised herself up a little and looked him in the eye, wanting him to understand.

"Just please. Try to control yourself. I don't want scenes, you know I hate bad publicity and bringing our lives out in the eyes of the public like that."

She sighed again. "This better not be making its rounds in every gossip rag out there right as we speak, Tony. I can't constantly handle you doing something inappropriate and have to sweep in to fix it and save the company bad publicity."

"If it is, there will be hell to pay. What was his name, anyway? Orson? Oliver?"

Pepper spluttered against his chest. Tony smirked; she meant it, but he knew he was forgiven. "What? I'm not good with names, Pepper, you know I'm not. Especially names that belong to bastard creeps trying to make a move on my girl. Clearly, their names are not worth the space

in the memory banks my brain would have to accommodate them in."

Pepper laughed gently.

"That's what you have me for, right?"

She looked at him again, smiling tenderly, her gaze luminous with love.

His chest expanded, and her brought his hand to her nape, pulling her head down to his until their foreheads rested against each other.

"Absolutely. I can do eighty, maybe ninety percent of the things in life. I got you for the other ten, twenty. We make a good, no a great, team, Potts. And we don't need recreational strengthening activities to cement us together. We've always made a good team. That's all I care about, that the two of us make a great team."

Pepper smiled and pressed her lips lovingly onto his moustached upper lip, humming in happiness.  
"Don't go away, Mr. Stark; I think I need to debrief you."

* * *

**The End. R&R!**


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